JERSEY CITY, N.J. — This Russell Wilson story begins outside of a bar, an odd place for a Russell Wilson story because Russell Wilson doesn't drink.

This takes place at The Kollege Klub in Madison, Wisc., a true campus dive bar, an institution for university students. And this is all according to Nate Tice, a close friend of Wilson's and a former Badger quarterback.

Twentieth-ranked Wisconsin had just throttled Purdue, 62-17, behind Wilson's ho-hum 205 yards passing, 76 on the ground and three total touchdowns. Many of the Badgers were out celebrating, and the bar was packed to capacity. A long line had formed outside.

Wilson was with his now-wife, Ashton Meem, and her parents at the end of the line. Since Tice knew the bar's owner, Wilson texted his friend to see if he could work some magic and sneak him in.

“I was like Russell, just go up to them and tell them who you are,” Tice assured him. “You'll be good, trust me.”

But Wilson didn't want to pull that card. So he waited.

“I go out there, and sure enough he's at the back of the line with Ashton and her parents just hanging out,” Tice said. “And Russell of course was dressed to a T. In Madison, you don't have to dress up. People wear sweatpants out. Russell's got a scarf and caddy hat on.”

“I grabbed him, and when he got in, it was like being with the Beatles.”

Down the middle

The press initially swarmed Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman during media day because they didn't know what he'd say. Then they migrated to Marshawn Lynch because they knew exactly what he'd say.

Wilson was the happy medium. Seattle's second-year starting quarterback was asked about the usual topics this week: his height, his transfer in college, his baseball career, his faith, his ... 1980s style jehri curls?

“Normally, I keep my hair pretty low,” Wilson said. “I actually saw an 11th grade picture of my dad and I. When I was in 11th grade, we won the state championship. I had my hair grown out. I didn't cut my hair the whole year for that season and my dad didn't either, so it kind of inspired me for this year.”

Wilson's father, Harrison Wilson III, died in 2010 due to complications from diabetes. He was a Dartmouth graduate, a lawyer, and a two-sport athlete in college. In 1980, he made it to the final cuts of San Diego Chargers camp as a wide receiver but was released.

The day after Harrison's passing, Wilson, a stud second baseman, was drafted by the Colorado Rockies. He was also the starting quarterback for North Carolina State, although coach Tom O'Brien was reportedly uneasy with Wilson's double-dipping. He would soon move forward with Mike Glennon, one year younger and 8 inches taller.

For his senior year, Wilson was forced to transfer to Wisconsin. He was named a team captain within six weeks of his enrollment. Harrison Wilson never saw Russell play in a Badgers uniform.

“I learned from my dad that you always have to persevere, have a great purpose in your life and understand where you're trying to go, have a great perspective,” Wilson said. “Those three things — those three 'Ps' — that he used to always tell me were so real, and they still stick with me today.”

Passed over

Russell Wilson is 5-foot-11, 205 pounds — prototypical for a second baseman, not a quarterback. Yet he extends plays with his legs like no one else, and his true perspective in the pocket isn't necessarily of someone sub 6-foot.

The 6-5 Tice explained: “If you notice, he kind of bounces on his toes, so that gives him another 2-3 inches. And he's releasing the ball so high, whereas taller guys are flat-footed and releasing lower.”

Wilson remembers his father telling him, “Hey, you have to watch this guy at Purdue” while he was in middle school. It turns out the guy was Drew Brees, a pretty decent 6-foot quarterback. Wilson began studying Brees closely in college. Like Brees, an absurdly productive career didn't catapult Wilson to the NFL draft's first round. Seattle scooped him in the third.

As for why he's been able to succeed so quickly in the NFL, Wilson said, “I believe that God has given me a sense of leadership to be able to motivate other people, but also myself.

“I want to be the best one day, and I'm not going to shy away from that.”